In the Spirit of the Season
by Elle Knight
Summary: Continuing with the 'Of Time and Blue Boxes' universe. Falls somewhere between 'Moments in Time' and 'Mistaken Identity'. Celebrating the Christmas season with Alix, Jack and the Doctor. Slightly AU for 'Doomsday'.


Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a wonderful New Year to everybody! I just wanted to write this in spirit of the season and festivities. This fic is AU with the airing of "Doomsday", and the song that I've used in the fic is Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas is You" (for those of you who didn't already know). I don't own that song, or Doctor Who itself. I'm just having a bit of fun with its characters.

I'm hoping to make this the first chapter of a two-chapter story and post the second chapter on New Years Eve. We'll see how well this idea goes over, however. For now, just enjoy:-)

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**In the Spirit of the Season**

It was snowing, big, soft flakes floating down to the earth – floating down on the head of one Alix Edwards. She ran huffing and puffing around the park's expanse, trying to outrun the two forms that pursued her in the dead of night. Stealthily, they tracked her through the glittering blanket of frost that had already coated the ground. Alix zigzagged between the skeletal forms of two trees, huffing and puffing all the way. She knew if she wasn't careful there would be – CRACK… a snowball in her face very, very soon.

Two cackling male voices rose out of the darkness only a few yards away. Jack and the Doctor walked toward her, slowly, barely able to hold themselves up because of their intense mirth.

"Did you see her face?" The Doctor managed to get out, before collapsing against Jack in another wave of giggles. Jack nodded,

"It was priceless!"

Alix shot both of them an annoyed look, one that she doubted they both could see because of the lack of lighting, but it was there all the same. She was not going to pretend to be friendly or the "nice girl" they knew her as. No. That was it. Getting in even was definitely in order.

"Ha, ha. So funny!" She yelled back, her words dripping with sarcasm. "Stupid boys," she muttered to herself, brushing the remnants of an icy snowball off the shoulder of her jacket.

"What?" Jack asked, innocently.

"Oh no, Jack Harkness, don't think you can get on my good side after that!" Alix crossed her arms, stubbornly. She loved messing with Jack this way. Just a little bit of pushing and nudging in the right direction and she could get him irritated about anything. She smiled to herself. This was payback in itself.

"You could _never_ stay mad at me sweetheart," was his response, sickly sweet that it made Alix want to throw up right there in front of them. She scoffed in response.

"Think again,_ buster_!"

The Doctor just laughed, Jack and Alix's "little" tiffs a constant source of amusement to him. Alix pointed wildly at him.

"Oh no, you just – shut up! Ugh! I can't go anywhere with you two where you don't act like a pair of eight year olds!" Jack and the Doctor were at it again, laughing loudly at the sight of an enraged Alix.

"Whatever, you two. I just want some decency for once!"

Jack began to walk toward her, putting an arm around her shoulders.

"We were just having a bit of fun with you. Hey," He nudged her a bit when she didn't seem to be calming down, "you wanted a "good old fashioned" snowball fight in the first place – eh?" Alix smiled at him, slowly.

"Yes, sure, fine, whatever."

"Now that all's well and good, how 'bout we go seek out what we came here to see, hmm?" The Doctor spoke up, loudly, beckoning them toward the exit of the park. Jack grabbed Alix's hand, pulling her along. She laughed, happily, breathing in a bit of the frosty air.

The three of them strolled along the sidewalk; streets quiet, the small town they dropped into lacking the daytime hustle and bustle. It hadn't gone long past nine when it happened. The small street they were on lit up suddenly, all at once with brilliantly twinkling, colorful lights. Each was beautiful on its own, bringing a delighted gasp to Alix's lips and leaving Jack staring in awe. The Doctor just smiled, looking back and forth between the two of them and the gorgeous light display.

"No one does it better than small towns, eh?"

"You got that right," Alix managed, never taking her eyes off of it, yet somehow managing to snuggle up against Jack.

"It's beautiful," Jack breathed. "I've never seen anything like it!"

"Well, you can't see them like they used to do them anymore, really," the Doctor spouted.

"No, I really have _never _seen anythinglike this."

The Doctor seemed to stop then, taking this into serious consideration, while Alix stared at Jack in disbelief.

"Never seen anything like this! You've got to be kidding me. Where'd you grow up Jack?" Alix questioned, waiting patiently for an answer. The Doctor and Jack exchanged a knowing glance.

"Some other time. It's really not the happiest of stories." His response made Alix snuggle up against him all the more.

The three of them stood there like that, silently, calm, peaceful for a good fifteen minutes before Jack noticed Alix trembling against him. He rubbed his hands up and down her arms, to give her a bit of warmth, and she leaned into the touch. The Doctor came over to them, then, hugging them both, sharing what little body heat he had. This made Alix giggle.

"What?" He asked her. "It's our job to keep you from freezing. You turn into a popsicle and we've failed." She gave them both a slight smile.

"Well, I love you two and all, big strong men that you are," She had to stop herself from sounding sarcastic just then, "But I think I'd much rather prefer a raspberry flavored hot chocolate."

"Hey!" Jack shouted. "What are we not good enough for you now?"

"Apparently not," the Doctor laughed. "Fortunately, I know just the thing to satisfy your sudden craving." He gestured to the TARDIS, parked not ten feet away in some underbrush.

The three of them passed the threshold, welcoming the warmth of the console room. Alix sighed audibly with relief. Jack looked toward her, slightly concerned.

"You should have told me you were that freezing. We would have left earlier."

"I know, I know. But you really only get to see a display like that once a year, and I sort of miss it. You can't see monstrous displays of Christmas lights on other planets. It's an earth thing. I like being reminded of home sometimes. It was _so_ worth it! Plus, we've got plenty of hot chocolate to warm us up." Alix smiled somewhat mischievously.

"I've got something better!" The Doctor piped up, suddenly.

"What? Fuzzy flannel blankets?" Alix guessed, giggling.

"Nope, guess again."

Jack rubbed his chin, thoughtfully.

"A crackling fire, comfy heating pads?"

"Nope, and nope. Anything else?" He fiddled with a few buttons on the console. Jack and Alix remained silent, clearly stumped.

"Dancing!" With the Doctor's last word, music erupted all around room.

_I don't want a lot for Christmas,_

_There is just one thing I need._

_I don't care about those presents_

_Underneath the Christmas tree. _

Jack swept Alix up, suddenly, leading her in a few basic swing-dancing steps. They moved rhythmically around the console, the Doctor admiring their grace with each other. He had a suddenly flashback of himself and Rose, when he was in his earlier incarnation, dancing to the sounds of Glen Miller. He fingered a small, gold wrapped package resting in front of him on the console. It was addressed to Rose. Somehow, he would get it to her in time for the holiday.

_I just want you for my own._

_More than you could ever know._

_Make my wish come true._

_All I want for Christmas is you._

The Doctor sighed, heavily. He just hoped that he wasn't too far off in time to arrive on the correct date. He could definitely see himself doing something like that; it wasn't if he hadn't done in the past.

"Come on Doctor!" Alix was there, suddenly, holding out her hand to him, waiting for him to take it and join the dance. All of her youth and vitality was sparkling in her eyes, much like the glow of the Christmas lights back on that street.

He grabbed her up, Jack stepping back to take a break. They whirled about, together, getting caught up in the music.

_All the lights are shining so brightly everywhere._

_And the sound of children's laughter fills the air._

_And everyone is singing,_

_I hear those sleigh bells ringing…_

Soon, Jack was back again, quickly switching partners with her. She laughed, loudly, exhilarated and happy.

_I don't want a lot for Christmas. _

This is all I'm asking for.

I just want to see my baby,

Standing right outside my door.

Jack dipped her, handing her swiftly to the Doctor for one last whirl around the room.

_I just want you for my own,_

_More than you could ever know._

_Make my wish come true._

_All I want for Christmas is you._

In the end, she was squished between them both, putting on the worst possible imitation of the Rockettes that one had ever seen. They were laughing though, warm, as the Doctor promised they would be.

"Okay, I think hot chocolate now," Alix announced, making her way toward the lived-in kitchen.

The Doctor had the cocoa made in only a few minutes, and they sat there, sipping it carefully.

"I propose a Christmas toast!" Jack announced, regally.

"Oh God, here we go again! Okay, please promise me that this isn't going to be like that time we were on Commonwealth7 and Jack just _had_ to toast to the government because they were doing such a bang up job with their whole _restoration _program!" Alix could hardly get the words out.

"Hey! How was I supposed to know that they were using alien life forms as fuel? We didn't find that out until _after_ that dinner!"

"Well, it wouldn't have mattered anyway considering you were completely pissed drunk at the time." The Doctor nudged Alix, and she quickly agreed. They erupted into a fit of giggles. Jack motioned for them to quiet down.

"No, no I'm serious now. This is a serious toast."

"Oh a serious toast." Alix mocked.

"Yes, a serious toast." He cleared his throat, "To friends old and new, to a year of whirlwind adventure, far away places, and beautiful women." He shot Alix a pointed look. "And last but not least, to lost loves, loves newly found, and to loves that stay in our hearts forever."

"Cheers!" Alix agreed, fighting the urge to tear up. Instead, she touched her glass with each of theirs, taking a sip.

"Good one!" The Doctor agreed, his mind slipping back to that present, briefly. She would have loved to hear Jack say that.

They both expected Jack to sit down, but he stayed standing, waiting for their attention one last time.

"And for a very Merry Christmas," his voice dropped, "in this little home of ours. Whether we may be human or alien, present or far away, let love always be with us and in the spirit of the season, let us celebrate!"

"Here, here!" The Doctor shouted, raising his glass. Alix did the same before putting her mug down, and reaching over to give the Doctor a hug and a friendly kiss on the cheek.

"Hey!" Jack shouted, playfully. "Where's mine?"

"Oh, you'll get it," Alix answered, kissing him deeply. Then, she turned toward both of them. "Merry Christmas, guys. I love you so much, and I really couldn't think of any better people to spend this with."

"We love you too, Alix," the Doctor responded, planting a kiss on her forehead.

"Always," Jack agreed, enveloping her in a hug. "Always and forever."


End file.
